Russian Cities in International Relations: Actors or Observers

The thesis attempts to assess the role of Russian cities in international relations. By evaluating contemporary international processes, such as globalization, glocalization, and urbanization, as well as by assessing city diplomacy and decentralized cooperation on the example of St. Petersburg, the research attempts to determine wheatear Russian cities are first-order, second-order actors or observers on the international stage. The research covers six major dimensions (culture, economy, development, networking, representation and security) of city diplomacy and decentralized cooperation in Russia. It also investigates geographical patterns of Russian cities’ external relations. The thesis provides some groundwork for further study into the practices of city diplomacy and decentralizes cooperation in Russia.